NEW YORK — You don't see this many cameraphones pulled out in this town short of a Britney Spears sighting. We sure as heck haven't seen as many wide-eyed onlookers for a car here before. "Does it fly?" asked one of the dozens of New Yorkers crammed outside the Hearst Tower as the Aptera Typ-1e electric vehicle pulled up to accept its Breakthrough Award.

No, the Aptera doesn't fly, but it can hit 120 miles per gallon right now, and it's headed for production this fall. We already took the first Aptera test drive last December, so we let our Jalopnik buddy Ray Wert sit shotgun for a trip around the block as the aerodynamically awesome car, on its first trip to the East Coast, made its way around the corner to tonight's Breakthrough Conference and Awards Presentation, where other winners in alternative energy—as well as space, appropriate technology and much more—are already wowing the crowds. Even legendary astronaut and PM editorial advisory board member Buzz Aldrin walked away impressed. See his and the Big Apple's reaction with the gallery at left, and stay tuned for much more live coverage right here. —Matt Sullivan